The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-12-05
WOMEN WHO WORK AT NIGHT.
cir Numbers in New York Are Constantly

cir Numbers in New York Are Constantly
Increasing.
.w York Letter to Washington Post.
The number Is we'll nigh legion. in q big city
like New York. of women and girls whose daily
tasks keep them from homo after dark and whe
make their way through the streets alone witt
IMMUNITY. The belated traveller meets .hemt
singly and in groups at the bridge and ferries
at all hours, from early dark till long past mid
night, and. if he out himself, towards morn
ing. Some OF them-not very many-set ty pc
in newspaper Offices, though they are supposed
not to, and there is a respectable minority In
great variety OF trades and occupations .s
clerks and cashiers in the big
stores. whose labors during the busy season
keep them away from home late at night. Even
in stores where there an early-closinR" rule,
the purchasers are not got rid of till o'clock,
when there is still the work OF clearing up the
days debris to be done. and there is no pre-
tence OF closing early on Saturday evenings
during the holidays. Midnight very frequently
overtakes the toiler at the counter with her
nearly the whole night must be spent in
prtpna ion for some special coup of trade.
Inc woman doctor is out at all hours of
course. and have met medical student Of
ba rely twenty trudging along at o'clock in the
morning, while the falling rain almost blinded
b y, her hand on the shoulder of q ragged lad OF
ten, who was conducting her to SICK bed In the
East-side tenement region.
It is good deal to the credit of the metropo-
lis that, as rule. these girls are nearly as safe
modest and unobtrusive in appearances, they
mind their business. and have ways to
make the would-be masher mind his. From
night toilers OF the other sex-men and boys
who are out o. night on errands of necessity
they have little to fear. The workngman or
boy may be rude when he is drunk, and some
times when he is not but he is seldom persist
emit and not often Intentionally troublesome.
This growing frequency of night employment
for women means . tremendous change In the
once accepted notions and opinions of mankind.
The Judge who declares from the bench that
woman has no business to be abroad after dark
is yet heard from in while. but the an
achronism always calls forth burst of right
eous indignation. I was talking with q night
worker masculine the other day about
this very topic. He said that he had often lost
his horse-car and had to wait half hour for
another in the wee small hours. because of his
reluctance to let Q fellow worker feminine grope
along for her Car in the muddy streets. Despite
this experience which is enough to make any
but the most sweet-tempered man conservative,
he spoke most enthusiastically of the effect
likely to be produced upon women, especially
young women, by self-supportng habits, and
said he looked to see them again in worth and
dignity and practical knowledge by contact
with practical necessities. The working girl
will never be wholly practical, however, so long
as she permits man to lose his while
finding hers unless she has reasons to suspect
the service is a pleasure to him.
The more nearly even the terms upon which
women and men conduct their daily business
the better it is for the business woman, probably.